Racing: Allan Sharrock sure of Stakes drag race

In-form mare Darci La Bella takes on Coventina Bay in the $120,000 Manawatū Challenge Stakes. Photo / Trish Dunell

Two jumpouts in front of just a handful of people on Monday have trainer Allan Sharrock predicting a Group 2 drag race down the Trentham straight tomorrow, but he doesn’t know whether his in-form mare Darci La Bella can hold off Coventina Bay in the $120,000 Manawatū Challenge Stakes.

The two mares are high class, with Coventina Bay already a proven two-time Group 1 winner while Darci La Bella looked ready to go to the next level winning the Breeders Stakes with a wicked turn of foot at Pukekohe last start.

She has the race fitness edge over Coventina Bay for the 1400m feature which looks set to be run on a soft track, which might narrowly favour Darci La Bella.

Both went to the Stratford jumpouts on Monday and Sharrock liked what he saw from Darci La Bella, but didn’t enjoy seeing the improved fitness of her rival, trained by Robbie Patterson.

“Our mare is spot on and has thrived since that last-start win, she was very good on Monday,” he offers.

“But Coventina Bay was, too, on Monday. She has clearly come on since her last start and looked sharp.

“It is almost a two-horse race between them on Saturday and while my mare will be fitter Robbie’s mare is the proven Group 1 horse.

“It might come down to where they are in the run. I think we will be in front of her but being two pairs in front of her with runners between us would be better.”

While the Trentham meeting, moved from Awapuni as that track struggles to produce a consistent surface, is the main meeting tomorrow, there is also black-type racing at Te Rapa.

The Group 3 Eulogy Stakes was to have been held at Awapuni’s abandoned meeting last Saturday, but moves north and Sharrock has a major player in consistent filly Sophmaze.

She was just beaten in the Ryder Stakes at Te Rapa in July and will appreciate the expected soft or even heavy conditions tomorrow. “She will get the track to suit,” he says.